Category Archives: Newest Blogs (最新ブログ)

By Billy Hammond (Copyright AELS) November 18, 2020 The Japanese have the safest in-person greeting mode in the world in their custom of bowing. It is perfect for preventing the physical contact spread of the Covid-19 virus since bowing requires a certain amount of physical distance. However, many of the idiotic copycats in Japanese society have decided to mimic foreigners by using fist and elbow matching, which no matter how you look at it, are far more likely to spread the disease than bowing. Why adopt something worse when you already have something better? It’s time for the Japanese to realize that many of the customs that they already possess are far superior for disease prevention than those of other countries. Bathing daily, eating quietly, maintaining Japanese speaking distances and many other innate customs the Japanese follow go a long […]

By Billy Hammond (Copyright AELS) November 6, 2020 Thinning Out Daikon I thinned out my daikon rows yesterday. Not shown in the photo is another ½ carton that I gave away before taking the shot. 間引き大根 昨日大根を間引きした。写真に写っていないが、撮る前に約コンテナー半分を近所の家族にあげた。 ********* Books published by AELS (AELS出版書籍) 魔女学院＆光塾：魔女ガールズの冒険 原作＆翻訳：ビレー　ハモンド 日本語編集：伊庭野れい子 Majoh Gakuin & Hikari Juku – Japanese Witch Schools – English Edition (魔女学院＆光塾（英語） By Billy Hammond 迷える魔女の戦い (魔女学院＆光塾シリーズ第2弾) 原作＆翻訳：ビレー　ハモンド 日本語編集：伊庭野れい子 Lost Witch (Majoh Gakuin & Hikari Juku Series Book 2) – English Edition (迷える魔女: 魔女学院＆光塾第2弾：英語版） By Billy Hammond 幸せを運ぶ魔法のチャレンジ 魔女学院＆光塾シリーズの第3弾 (Fate & Magic Jp) 原作＆翻訳：ビレー　ハモンド 日本語編集：伊庭野れい子 “Fate & Magic” Majoh Gakuin & Hikari Juku Series – Japanese Witch Schools Book 3 – English Edition (幸せを運ぶ魔法のチャレンジの英語版） By Billy Hammond Regressed 「過去に生きて・・・」 原作＆翻訳：ビレー　ハモンド 日本語編集：伊庭野れい子 Regressed – English Edition By Billy Hammond *************

By Billy Hammond (Copyright AELS) November 1, 2020 Transplanting Finished I finally finished transplanting my onion seedlings this morning. I transplanted them over 4 mornings, starting on October 29th. There were more seedlings than I’d calculated so I had to add two rows to accommodate them. Whew! ************** タマネギ苗植え替え終わった 今朝タマネギの苗の植え替えが終わった。先週の木曜日から毎朝少しづつ植え替えた。 計算した本数以上あったため、2畝手動で立てた。 やっと！ ********* English novels by Billy Hammond published by AELS (AELS出版英語書籍リスト）   I. Majoh Gakuin and Hikari Juku – Japanese Witch Schools Trilogy 1. Majoh Gakuin & Hikari Juku – Japanese Witch Schools 2. Lost Witch (The second book) 3. Fate & Magic (The final book in the trilogy) II. Brindle – Scryer Extraordinaire Trilogy 1. Brindle – Scryer Extraordinaire 2. Brindle – Scryer Extraordinaire – Returns 3. Brindle – Scryer Extraordinaire – Challenges (The final book in the trilogy) III. Fantasy fiction set in Japan 1. 21st Century […]

By Billy Hammond (Copyright AELS) October 30, 2020 Accelerated Growth The weather and temperatures this year have caused my Chinese cabbages to grow faster than normal. They’re about 2 weeks ahead in growth as compared to an “average” year. 急成長 今年の天気や気温によって、白菜の成長は非常に速い。例年よりも2週間以上成長が進んでいる。 ********** English novels by Billy Hammond published by AELS (AELS出版英語書籍リスト）   I. Majoh Gakuin and Hikari Juku – Japanese Witch Schools Trilogy 1. Majoh Gakuin & Hikari Juku – Japanese Witch Schools 2. Lost Witch (The second book) 3. Fate & Magic (The final book in the trilogy) II. Brindle – Scryer Extraordinaire Trilogy 1. Brindle – Scryer Extraordinaire 2. Brindle – Scryer Extraordinaire – Returns 3. Brindle – Scryer Extraordinaire – Challenges (The final book in the trilogy) III. Fantasy fiction set in Japan 1. 21st Century Ninja 2. Regressed 3. Japanese Woman IV. Fantasy fiction set outside […]

By Billy Hammond (Copyright AELS) October 25, 2020 I tilled one of my fields and put in 4 rows for my onion seedlings. I’ll probably be transplanting later in the week. タマネギ植え替え準備 タマネギの苗植え替えのために畑を耕してから4つの筋を入れた。植え替えは週末近くと考えている。 ********** English novels by Billy Hammond published by AELS (AELS出版英語書籍リスト）   I. Majoh Gakuin and Hikari Juku – Japanese Witch Schools Trilogy 1. Majoh Gakuin & Hikari Juku – Japanese Witch Schools 2. Lost Witch (The second book) 3. Fate & Magic (The final book in the trilogy) II. Brindle – Scryer Extraordinaire Trilogy 1. Brindle – Scryer Extraordinaire 2. Brindle – Scryer Extraordinaire – Returns 3. Brindle – Scryer Extraordinaire – Challenges (The final book in the trilogy) III. Fantasy fiction set in Japan 1. 21st Century Ninja 2. Regressed 3. Japanese Woman IV. Fantasy fiction set outside of Japan 1. Dimension Jumpers ************

By Billy Hammond (Copyright AELS) October 18, 2020 Several days ago a student asked me who my favorite Japanese actresses were. I was taken unawares by the question and was only able to respond with the names of two actresses who I’d seen the most recently (Mitsuki Takahata and Kanna Hashimoto). After giving it further thought, I came up with a list of my favorite Top Twenty. My top five choices would be: 1) Tamao Nakamura (81) 2) Yuki Matsushita (52) 3) Yasuko Sawaguchi (55) 4) Mitsuki Takahata (28) 5) Kanna Hashimoto （21） I also like Yui Aragaki, Mikako Tabe, Haru, Yuriko Yoshitaka, Satomi Ishihara, Michiko Hada, Tae Kimura, Ayumi Nakajo, Mone Kamishiraishi, Moka Kamishiraishi, Nana Eikura, Kyoko Fukada, Tao Tsuchiya, Fuka Koshiba and Noriko Eguchi. 好きな日本女優 先日、生徒に好きな日本女優が訊かれた。突然な質問だったので最も最近に観た2人（高畑充希と橋本環奈）でしか答えられなかった。後に考えて、好きなトップ20が思い出した。 トップ5は 1)中村玉緒 (81) 2) 松下由樹(52) 3) 沢口靖子 (55) 4) 高畑充希 (28) 5) […]

By Billy Hammond (Copyright AELS) October 12, 2020 Unlike vegetables, weeds grow brilliantly without care or nurture. 草 野菜と異なって、草は何もしなくても見事に生える。 *********** English novels by Billy Hammond published by AELS (AELS出版英語書籍リスト）   I. Majoh Gakuin and Hikari Juku – Japanese Witch Schools Trilogy 1. Majoh Gakuin & Hikari Juku – Japanese Witch Schools 2. Lost Witch (The second book) 3. Fate & Magic (The final book in the trilogy) II. Brindle – Scryer Extraordinaire Trilogy 1. Brindle – Scryer Extraordinaire 2. Brindle – Scryer Extraordinaire – Returns 3. Brindle – Scryer Extraordinaire – Challenges (The final book in the trilogy) III. Fantasy fiction set in Japan 1. 21st Century Ninja 2. Regressed 3. Japanese Woman IV. Fantasy fiction set outside of Japan 1. Dimension Jumpers ************

By Billy Hammond (Copyright AELS) October 2, 2020 PM Suga is planning to pressure the phone companies to reduce phone charges, which are comparatively higher in Japan as compared to those in other countries. People under forty would be surprised to learn that having a phone really used to cost a lot of money. When I first came to Japan in 1980, I was surprised to learn that I’d need at least 80,000 yen to get a telephone installed. The price for a “phone right” went down to 72,000 yen in 1985 and was dropped down to 36,000 yen in 2005. I was running a business during those years and recall monthly phone bills in the 100,000 – 200,000 yen range. When you think about that, today’s mobile phone prices are ridiculously low. 電話加入権 菅首相は電話会社に圧力をかけて料金を下げさせる方針だ。確かに日本の料金は他国よりも比較的に高い。 40歳以下の方は昔の値段が知らないので今のデータやスマホ料金は高いと思っている。1980年来日時に電話を設置するには8万円が必要だと分かった際、驚いた！電話加入権の値段が1985年に72,000円に下がったが、まだ高かった。その時代には会社の決算書にも『資産』として記入出来た。2005年にはそれが36,000円に値下がったが、まだそれでも高かった。私はその時代に会社を営んでいたで、月の10万～20万の電話代の覚えもある。 それらを考えると、現在の携帯電話購入や料金はとても安い！ *************** English novels […]

By Billy Hammond (Copyright AELS) October 1, 2020 I made it a point to observe the drivers in the cars around me as I was driving to Sakai yesterday to see how many were wearing masks while driving alone. The result was an astounding one to two ratio or about a half of drivers all by themselves wearing masks. Likewise, I took note of the number of pedestrians wearing masks walking along the road on uncrowded sidewalks. The number seemed to be almost 100 percent. People no longer seem to be thinking about when mask wearing is really necessary… マスクの慣れ過ぎ？ 昨日堺への運転中に何人の運転手がマスクをしているかを知るたために周囲の車に注目した。何と半分くらいはマスクを着用していた！ 同時に混んでいない歩道に歩いている歩行者にも注目した。100パーセントに近い、殆どがマスク姿だった！ 最近、マスク着用の必要性について数多くの人は考えなくなったようだ… ******** English novels by Billy Hammond published by AELS (AELS出版英語書籍リスト）   I. Majoh Gakuin and Hikari Juku – Japanese Witch Schools Trilogy 1. Majoh Gakuin & Hikari Juku – Japanese Witch Schools 2. Lost Witch (The second […]

By Billy Hammond (Copyright AELS) September 29, 2020 Japanese movies and TV shows seem to have always taken great pains not to show manufacturer’s brand names and a look at the labels used in props in Japanese dramas often is funny with dummy labels obviously done in haste pasted on beer cans and packages. The exceptions are when a manufacturer is a sponsor of the work, in which case the product gets brand overkill. Perhaps the most ugly examples are the odd decals covering the brand insignia of cars. The Toyota, Nissan and other marks are quite large in size, so hiding them makes the car look rather fake and places the film or show itself further away from reality. Movie and film makers are always fishing for sponsors for their works, but I wish they’d do it in ways […]